Development of the national breeding and seed production system discussed in Astana

The republican seminar-meeting titled “Implementation of Agricultural Science Achievements into Production as a Guarantee of Sustainable Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex” was held at S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University.
The event was attended by representatives of JSC “NANOC” and its subsidiaries, members of the scientific community, and deputy akims of the regions.

Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov emphasized that breeding and seed production play a key role in ensuring the country’s food security. According to him, a Comprehensive Plan has been approved and is being implemented by presidential instruction, defining priorities and mechanisms of state support for the sector. The Minister stressed that high-quality seeds directly affect yields and farm profitability. He also recalled that in 2025 the volume of concessional financing for spring field and harvesting works increased more than tenfold, with 1 trillion tenge allocated for preferential loans to farmers. The repayment rate reached about 99%.

Amid diversification of sowing areas, demand for seeds of high-margin crops is growing. In 2024, oilseeds were sown on 4 million hectares and legumes on 780 thousand hectares, creating stable demand for quality seed material and requiring coordination between science and business.

The Minister stated that priority in subsidies will be given to domestic seed producers. To strengthen oversight, a specialized department has been established within the State Inspection Committee to monitor all stages from production to sale.

Chairman of the Board of NANOC Bauyrzhan Asanov reported that 432 varieties of agricultural crops were developed between 2015 and 2025, 213 of which were included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements. Currently, domestic seed supply stands at 55.6%. By 2030, the target is to increase this figure to 80%, and the share of elite seeds to 15.5%.

In 2024, the consortia “Qazaq Tuqym” and “Ontustik” were established, bringing together 22 subsidiaries and offering 29.5 thousand tons of seeds across 236 varieties. Special attention is given to vegetable and potato production, with annual capacity reaching up to 500 thousand virus-free mini-tubers and 300–350 tons of elite seeds.

Deputy akims and representatives of research and production centers presented regional results. In particular, the A.I. Baraev Research and Production Center demonstrates effective breeding performance, with its varieties occupying around 4 million hectares of spring wheat and adapted to Northern Kazakhstan conditions.

During the seminar, UNDP Representative in Kazakhstan Katarzyna Wawiernia presented agricultural projects. A memorandum of cooperation was signed between NANOC and UNDP aimed at implementing innovations and sustainable agricultural practices.

Concluding the seminar, the Minister instructed to ensure proper implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, intensify regional cooperation with NANOC, establish regional seed production consortia, explore the creation of additional seed farms for crops with high import dependence, and consider financing the scaling of promising domestic varieties through local budgets.

Participants also visited an exhibition of NANOC’s scientific achievements, featuring innovative solutions in crop production, livestock breeding, agricultural processing, and agrotechnologies, including soil and agrochemical developments aimed at increasing productivity and restoring degraded lands.